Frederick Gabel was born in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada on 21 September 1916, the son of John Gabel, the owner of a grocer's shop, and his wife Annie Broskie. After obtaining a BA from the University of Saskatchewan where he played hockey for the University, he went on to the University of Manitoba to receive his medical training and graduated in 1942. He interned at Winnipeg General Hospital, Manitoba, but before the end of his internship joined the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. He took part in the invasion on D-Day and served in Europe until after the occupation of Germany, reaching the rank of captain. After the war he returned to England to study for the FRCS and became senior registrar at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary. He returned to Canada to become chief of surgery at the Yorkton General and Yorkton Union Hospitals, Saskatchewan. He was active in the Royal Canadian Legion, a keen geologist and collector of gems and an accomplished clarinetist. He enjoyed growing flowers, especially lilies. He married twice, firstly to Anne Boyd in 1943, from whom he was divorced in 1977, and secondly Doreen Schmidt in 1979, and they were in the process of divorcing when he died. He died on 25 June 1994 in Dublin, Ireland, survived by his son John (born 18 December 1954), a private investor.